Berkeley, March 18 2014—The Berkeley Public Library is pleased to announce that the award-winning design firm of Noll & Tam Architects and Planners has been selected to provide a full range of programmatic, architectural and design services for its Central Library. Renovations of the interior public spaces will improve the layout of collections, lighting, placement of the public computers, and address the need for quiet and group study areas, as well as adequate and appropriate space to meet the needs of teens and youth. After a competitive process, the firm was selected based on their extensive library design and building experience.

Modern library services have significantly evolved with the continuing expansion of the internet, CDs and DVDS, online services, streaming media and electronic materials, and the Berkeley Public Library is meeting the challenge of this evolving environment to respond to how patrons perceive and use the Library in the 21st century. Noll & Tam Architects and Planners design services cover developing alternative and cost-effective innovative solutions to improve the Central Library’s interior public spaces using the existing square footage without substantial structural change. Improvements will be phased in to allow continuation of services while selected areas are renovated.

“We are excited to be bringing the Central Library more in line with the renovated branches, and to create public spaces that will meet all of our visitors needs now and into the future. I hope the community will join us in this effort as they did for the neighborhood branch libraries projects,” said Donna Corbeil, Director of Library Services. The design firm will host a series of teen focus groups to solicit input into the teen space design and two community meetings to allow the public to provide input into the planning process.